Automatic closure operating device



J. A. EARHUFF ET AL AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE File d Nov. 13, 1934 s Sheets-She'et 1 III] John H. Earh uff Wm. Odenthal A770 BY Oct. 6, 1936. J. A.-EARHUFF ET AL 2,056,174

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. A. EARHUFF ET AL AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE Oct. 6, 1936.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 15, 1934 Joh n I]. Earhu/f Wm. Odenihal [NV NTORS ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, .1936

' UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE 101m A. Eat-lull and William Odenflill.

Lou M8016,

Calif.

Application November 13, 1934, Serial No. 752.856

3 Claims. (UL I'll-239) The present invention relates broadly to mechanisms for automatically operating closures.

More specifically the invention relates to an improved construction particularly adapted for controlling the movement of doors both of the swinging and sliding type. Such doors may be either horizontally or vertically operated and the construction may be further applied for operating still other types of doors, gates or closures in general.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved automatic reversing mechanism for closures whereby the same may be opened and closed by actuating a switch and thru the medium of a novel limit switch control the movement of the closures in either direction so as to arrest it in the proper position.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a novel clutch mechanism for reversing the rotation of the motor unit.

An important object of the invention is to improve upon the door controlling meansdescribed in Letters Patent #1,833,42 issued November 24, 1931 wherein the door was obstructively stopped. In order to carry out the latter object we provide a structure consisting of an improved unit comprising a motor, a gear reducing set, a governor operated switch, a reversing switch, a limit switch, and one or more momentary contact switches whereby the stoppage of doors is accomplished without danger of parts being broken when the proper position for arresting the door has been reached as might result were the door obstructively stopped.

The improved unit is operated by a split phase motor in which the phases are separated, so as to cut in andout different windings by the action of other switches which in turn govern the operation. l

The aforesaid splitting of the phases in both the patented construction and the present invention is controlled by the action of a governor operated switch, which regulates the cutting in and cutting out of the primary windings.

In both inventions, in the operation of the motor, the current supplied circulates through both the starting and running windings of the motor and when the motor attains operating 50 speed, the starting winding is cut out by thesimplify the structure and avoid the use of the cut out device mentioned by making the governor operated motor switch do the necessary shunting. This change circuit switch means, in combination with the other switches, automatically 5 reverses the motor so that when the motor is again placed in motion by the necessary contact, the closure will travel in the desired direction.

The disclosure will be based upon a practical embodiment which is now being used in practice 10 and which is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to a vertically operated door.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the inven- 15 tion in its entirety as applied to a. sliding horizontally operated door; some of the structure being broken away in order to show the underlying structure.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 20

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the limit switch structure some parts of which are broken away and other parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is an alternate construction in plan and section of a portion of the switch shown in Fig. 4. 25

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the detached end bell containing the governor operated motor switch.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the assembly of the motor and end bell looking in the direction of the motor governor, which is in an opposite direction to the direction in 35 which the parts are viewed in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line Iii-40 of Figs. 7 and 9 showing the governor operated motor switch in starting position.

Fig. 11 is a section similar to that shown in 0 Fig. 10, but with the governor operated motor switch shown in running position.

Referring in detail to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 2, the numeral I indicates the motor, and 2 and 3 indicate respectively the driving shaft and operating worm fastened to the power shaft 4 of the motor thru the medium of the clutch 8.

The worm 3 meshes with a worm gear 8. Said worm and gear comprise the reductionunit and are housed in the reduction gear case 1. The worm gear is mounted upon a threaded shaft 8, a portion of which is extended outside the case I and is provided with an integral clutch member 84 for the purpose ofattaching thereto the I intervening mechanism 9' which is necessary to be coupled to the closure It for operating it.

In Fig. 2 this intervening mechanism is shown operating a horizontal closure cr'sliding door it.

In Fig. 1 the same mechanism slightly altered and indicated by 911 operates a vertical swinging door lta. Still other types of intervening mechanisms for operating other classes of closures, as for example hinged closures, may be utilized but it is considered patentably immaterial just what type of mechanism is selected for operating the closure, and the controlling of such closures is considered to come under the province of the present invention in its broader aspect as hereinafter claimed.

To the case i is fastened a bracket bearing ii, and in spaced relation to the bearing ii is fastened to a support, not shown, a hanger bracket i2. Bearings ii and. i2 support a pipe is which houses and carries the mechanism whereby the closures it and IM are manipulated. Said mechanism comprises a spiral operating bar it, the ends of which are journalled in the bearings ill and 82, a riderbracket i5, and a ball-cage bracket it which is fastened to said rider brack- The rider bracket is provided with a lon gitudinally extending tongue ill which travels in the slot it of the pipe 83. The ball-cage carries a pair of balls it, one of which is shown, which are dispomd on either side of the spiral bar and their cage telescopically travels back and forth in the pipe, the direction of their travel depending on the direction in which the shaft't is rowise direction causes the balls to advance the tated. The movement of the rider'bracket in turn governs the opening and closing of the door iii. Rotating the spiral bar in a counterclockbracket it towards the hanger bracket 52, thereby closing the door; and rotating the spiral bar in a clockwise direction causes the balls to ad Vance the bracket it in the opposite direction thereby opening the door.

The rider bracket is provided with a pair of depending limbs 20. Said limbs straddle the roller 25, the roller being rotatingly mounted between said limbs on the pin 22. Pin is entended beyond one of said limbs to provide for fastening thereto the door hanger bracket Door hanger bracket 23a, pin 22a and roller tic complete the door suspension mechanism. The door track 24 and other appurtenances are con- ,ventional and well known in the art.

0n the threaded shaft 3 is mounted a threaded fibre bushing 8b and said bushing carries a suitable tongue 25 which in turn is pendulously op erated in order to move from theface of one to that of the other of the switch blocks between which it extends. Said tongue 25 also moves longitudinally back and forth between the fibre switch block members 26 and 27!, comprising the limit switch 28, to open the circuit and thereby stop the motor at a predetermined point.

The limit switch 23 is perspectively shown in Fig. 2 and in plan and section in Fig. 4. A modification of the same is shown in Figs. and 6. In detail switch 28 comprises a frame 2% which is fastened to the floor of the case i. Said fre has upstanding end pieces 3t and Si in which are mounted adjustable bolts 32 and 33 whereby the switch members 25 and 27 may be moved longitudinally relatively to each other to vary the travel to which the closures are subjected, so that the doors or other contrivances will stop their movement at the proper positions.

Members 26 and 2? respectively carry fixed contacts 34 and 35, and movable contacts 36 and 31. with its cooperating fixed contact 34 under the action of the' spring 38 to maintain the circuit closed when there is no opposition from the tongue 25. Conversely, the movable contact 31 yieldingly engages its cooperating fixed contact 35 under the action of the spring 39to maintain a closed circuit until acted upon by the tongue 25. The construction for performing both of these operations is illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a slight variation in the placement of parts comprising the switch just described will be noted. In the latter figures the spring 380. is shown housed along one side of the main shaft/of the movable contact member 35a and engages its head portion rather than circumscribing the body portion, which materially simplifies the construction of the switch. When the shaft 8 is rotated in a clockwise direction the tongue 25 grazes the face iii of the switch block 26 and moves longitudinally in one direction to actuate the movable contact 36 to open the circuit at contact 3d, and when the shaft 3 is rotated in an anti-clockwise-manner the tongue 25 grams the face M of the switch block 2? and moves in a reverse direction to actuate the movable contact member 3? to open the circuit at contact 35.

Switch members 26 and 2'? are slightly spaced apart when they are mounted in the frame 29, so that when one face of the tongue 25 grazingly contacts with one switch member the opposite face of the tongue will be free from grazing the adjacent face of the other switch member. i

There is also mounted upon the threaded shaft 8 a friction clutch 42 for actuating the reversing switch it in either of the directions in which the shaft is rotated. In Fig. 3 the two extreme positions of the switch'lever 63a are shown in dotted and full lines. When the shaft 8 is rotated in an The movable contact'36 yieldingly engages anti-clockwise fashion the dotted portion id of the clutch engages with the full line portion as of the lever 13a. to trip it to dotted line position that, and when the shaft 8 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the dotted portion Lida of the clutch engages with the dotted line position 55a of the lever to trip it to full line position 35. As

soon as the motor l starts, the friction clutch revolves until it comes in contact with the reversing switch lever and trips it. This operation im- .mediately reverses the wiring connections so that now set forth in conjunction with the description relating to the operation and will be particularly based on the wiring diagram shown in Fig. '7, with ancillary reference directed to Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11.

On actuating the momentary contact switch d'i thecurrent travels over line E to the motor switch block, where the current is shunted through the switch block tongue L to contact K, from contact K to terminal post Q over line C to reversing switch 53, through reversing switch it over line B to starting winding 48, through starting winding it over line A to reversing switch d3, through reversing switch 43 over line F connecting movement back and forth takes place as ing with negative line U. Inthe contact made by depressing the momentary contact switch I, the. current also passes through switch block tongue L over line G to running winding ll, through running winding 48 over line F to negative line U. 1

While the limit switch 28 is being operated by the tongue 25, which is moved longitudinally by the threaded shaft 8 rotated by the motor I, the tongue 25 moves back and forth from the face 40 of one switch block to the adjacent face ll of the other switch block and grazes along these faces until it is intercepted by the inturned limb 360, or 31a of the respective'movable contact members 36 or 31. Thereupon the springs 38 and 39 are in turn depressed and the circuit broken between the movable contact members and the fixed contact members thus stopping the motor. The operation goes through the same cycle the next time the momentary contact switch- 41 or 41a is depressed, except that the reversing switch 43 has been tripped and the motor revolves in the opposite direction.

In the initial contact the switch block tongue L is in the position shown in Fig. 10. After the motor has obtained necessary speed the motor governor trips the motor switch to make the connection shown in Fig. 11. At the time the momentary contact switch is depressed, which is a period of time that the motor picks up to speed, the momentary contact switch is released, also the motor governor has tripped the motor switch and the operation has .cut out the starting winding, allowing the motor to run normally.

After the momentary contact switch 41 has been released the current flows thru limit switch 28 and the movable contacts 36 and 31, over lines Sand D to terminal post B, through motor switch tongue L (Fig. 10) and line G to running winding 49 and line F to negative line U, thus completing the circuit and operating in this position until tongue 25 presses against movable contact 36 or 31 of the limit switch to open the circuit. The rewiring of the motor switch to accomplish the reversing action, whereby through the improved hook-up the operation of a closure is regulated, has been made in the following order:

First, the leads of the starting winding, namely, lines A and B are drawn out ofthe motor and are connected to the reversing switch 43 as shown in Fig. 7.

Second, one of the leads of the running winding F is drawn from the motor in the regular manner. The other lead of the running winding G is connected to the motor switch tongue L which when contacted with switch block contact M is carried to binding post R. Frombinding 'post R a lead is drawn connecting it to limit subsequently the mechanical movement of the traveling tongue 25, Fig. '2, moves it against the inturned limbs 36a and 31a of the limit switch, Fig. 4, and the circuit is then broken in the running windingand the motor stops.

Alternatthe momentary switch 41 is depressed and motor is started and stopped in accordance with the action as herein given.

The foregoing operation, when applied to the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, demonstrates the practical working value of the device when applied to a vertically swung door.

The operator I! of a car 5! upon reaching his destination inserts his operating key 52 into the momentary contact switch 41 thereby actuating the motor. After the motor has attained running speed the closure ma starts to swing in a vertical plane about the trunnions 53 thru the medium of the mechanism including the lever 54 pivotally fastened to the rider bracket II and the bracket 5! on the closure. time limit 'switch stops the movement of the door the driver parks hiscar, whereupon he actuates switch 41 or another contact switch as 41a thereby causing the closing movement of the door to take place.

Any number of such momentary contact switches as 41 or 410 may be installed at convenient places for the operation of the closure. For eirample, when the driver leaves the house he could actuate such a switch placed in a suitable place therein, so that upon reaching the garage the door would be open. Another momentary contact switch conveniently positioned within reach of the driver may be actuated by him to When the.

close the door when he leaves the garage. These momentary contact. switches, as well as the reversing switch, may be selected from any of the standard switches now on the market.

The advantages of the several improvements in the automatic door operating mechanism, which constitute our invention may be briefly recapitulated as follows: The operation of a closure is all performed automatically. Thru the medium of a time limit switch the movement of a closure is automatically stopped at the desired position without any undue strain being placed on the operating parts. Thus the replacement cost of parts subject to breakage has now been abolished. Thru the novel manner in which the motor switch is rewired and the connections changed, the cut out device which formerly was located outside the motor has now been dispensed with and the.

mechanism as well as the operation has been simplified, thereby reducing materially the cost of parts and of installation.

We claim:

1. A motorhaving a starting and a rimning winding and a governor operated switch for automatically cutting in and cutting out said starting winding, wiring provided with a source of electrical energy forming two independent circuits in which said motor through the medium of said governor operated switch is included, one of said circuits comprising an actuating circuit in which said starting winding is included and the other circuit comprising an operating circuit in which said running winding is included, a momentary contact switch whereby to close said actuating circuit and a reversing switch in said actuating circuit whereby to reverse the direction of the ro tation of the motor each time the latter circuit is closed, a shaft driven by said motor, gearing, a second shaft, a portion of which is threaded, operable in either one of two directions by said motor thru the medium of said gearing, said reversing switch including a switching lever, a friction clutch mounted on said second shaft and contactible with said lever to reverse it in either travel thereelong first in one direction and then in another direction, a time t switch in seid operating circuit, means to mount said switch in a juxtaposed relation to said part, solid time iirnit switch comprising a pair of edjustobie switch blocks, said mounting means providing e space between the adjacent faces of sold blocks, and e. fixed contact member and a movable contact member carried by each of said blocks, said move ble contact members each being provided with a laterally extending arm which projects into said space, said part being provided with a tongue operating in said space to alternately engage mid arms to disrupt the connection between said fixed and movable contacts in either direction seid tongue travels.

2. A motor having e. starting and e running winding and e governor operated switch for automatically cutting in and cutting out said starting winding, wiring provided with at source 02 eiectrical energy forming two independent circuits in which said motor through the medium of said governor operated switch is included, one oi seid circuits comprising an actuating circuit in which said starting winding is included and the other circuit comprising an operating circuit in which said running winding is included, a momentary contact switch whereby to close said actuating circuit and a reversing switch in said actuating circuit whereby to reverse the direction of the rotation of the motor each time the latter circuit is closed, a shaft driven by said motor, gearing, e. second shaft, 2. portion of which is threaded, operable in either one of two directions by said motor thru the medium of said gearing, said reversing switch including a switching lever, a friction clutch mounted on said second shaft and contactible with said lever toreverse it in either direction said second shaft is rotated, a part mounted on the threaded portion of said shaft to travel therealong first in one direction and then in another direction, a time limit switch in said operating circuit, means to mount said switch in a juxtaposed relation to said part, said time limit switch comprising a. pair of adjustable switch blocks,said mounting means providing a. space between the adjacent faces of said blocks, and a fixed contact member and a movable contact member carried by each of said blocks, said movable contact members each being provided with a gidddfid ietersiiy extending arm which projects into seid spece, said part being provided with a tongue operating in said space to alternately engage said 3 to disrupt the connection between said fixed and movable contacts in either direction said tongue travels, said toe alternately grazing the edjacent feces of said switch blocks during its movement to and fro in said space.

3. A motor having a starting and a running winding and a governor operated switch for euto= meticaliy cutting in and cutting out said starting winding, wiring. provided with a source of electricsi energy forming two independent circuits in which said motor through the medium or said governor operated switch is included, one of said circuits comprising an actuating circuit in which said starting winding is included and the other circuit comprising an operating circuit in which sold rung winding isincluded, a momentary contact switch whereby to close said actuating circuit and a reversing switch in said actuating circuit whereby to reverse the direction of the rotation of the motor each time the latter circuit is closed, a shaft driven by said motor, gearing, a second shaft; a portion of which is threaded,

operable in either one of two directions by said.

motor thru the medium or said gearing, said reversing switch including a switching lever, a, triotion clutch mounted on said second shaft and contactible with said lever to reverse it in either direction said second shaft is rotated, a part mounted on the threaded portion of said shaft to travel therealong first in one direction and then in another direction, a. time limit switch in said operating circuit, means to mount said switch in a. juxtaposed relation to said pert, said time limit switch comprising a pair of adjustable switch blocks, said mounting means providing a space between the adjacent faces of said blocks, a fixed contact member and a, movable contact member carried by each of said blocks, said movable contact members each being provided with a laterally JOHN A; 'WIILIAM ODENTHAL. 

